Conversion of 3 track O gauge to DC

[lionelsoni]

Lionel's reversing scheme is however very different from Maerklin's.  Instead of a high-voltage pulse, Lionel shuts the track voltage off.  Obviously you can do that just as well with a Maerklin transformer too.

[lionelsoni]

We have a guy here on the forum who runs his trains on DC.  I'm sure he will chime in before long.  In the meantime:

http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/990885/ShowPost.aspx

He runs his universal-motor trains on DC using the e-unit for reversing.  If you're interested, I can tell you how to convert those entirely to DC, with no reversing unit and the direction controlled entirely by the polarity.

[daan]

Hi Hobbes,

Any Märklin transformer does a fine job running Lionel trains. The engine will not suffer any damage if it's controlled by 50Hz AC and Märklin stuff is pretty common in Europe. The only thing not working on 50Hz AC is the TMCC Lionel uses in it's digitally controlled trains.

There are other ways to get 110 volts 60Hz AC, you need a 220 to 12 volts DC transformer and then a 12 volts DC to 110 volts AC convertor. That convertor can give 60Hz but it's not a sine wave, since electronically reproduced. I have this information from another Lionel fan in the UK, so don't bite me if it doesn't work..

Also whistle and bell controllers, MTH's Z750, Z1000 and Z4000, Lionels postwar and new ZW's will work fine behind a 220-110 volts transformer on 50Hz. (in series with the transformer that comes with the controller) But Märklin 32 VA transformers also work without problems (and are dirtcheap to get on almost any trainshow)

On a märklin tranformer, MTH Protosound 1 and 2 work, Locosound works, any conventional Lionel runs (with or without railsounds), without damage or any other problems.

On my layout, 2 32VA Märklin units with additional whistle and bell controllers and a momentum break switch for the direction (not necessary, but easier to work with) are doing a fine yob since 4 years without ANY electronical or mechanical faillure.

So my advise is: use the CW80 as a paperweight and get some decent (postwar) Märklin stuff to power your train. My next solution will be a controller (Z750, shipped without the transformer belonging to it, since it's useless here) with a normal 3 amp 220-18 volt transformer from Conrad.

Lots of luck from another fellow in europe.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I'd have to concede that of the trains I have had start to show problems with 50hz , all of them have also at some time been run with no modification on DC.  Even if they only ran for a few seconds I suppose they are as likely to be damaged by that as 50hz AC for a long time!

I may try and wire one up, bypassing the board to put DC straight into the motor this weekend.

I will post and let you know what happens!

Thanks

 Kenny

[lionelsoni]

Has anyone seen a locomotive damaged by 50 hertz?  I think one would have to go out of his way to build one that would run on 60 hertz but fail on 50.  Lionel once sold transformers for 60, 50, 40, and 25 hertz, as well as exceedingly dangerous DC reducers.

In any case, you should be okay just running the motors directly on DC.  You can even do this with wound-field universal motors with very little modification.  An advantage is that the units of a multiple-unit lashup will not get out of sync with each other.  A disadvantage is that, with 3 rails unlike 2 rails, you can't turn a unit around without making it run in the other direction.

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone. I'm a bit of a newbie to O gauge or at least 3 rail so please be sympathetic! I've imported a few Lionel Thomas sets into Britain for my wifes business (all Thomas the Tank engine!) The G scale sets were great and we were really impressed with the O gauge sets at first. Our problem was the CW80. I know there is a lot already written about it but our big problem was neither it or the trains like operating at 50hz (european voltage frequency). Basically the CW80 melts down as soon as it is connected to 110volts at 50hz( through a voltage converter from 220volts). 3 rail O gauge seems pretty rare here and the only importer in England throws the CW80's in the bin as soon as they arrive in each set.  Most european dealers seem to favour trying to use a 50hz 18 volt supply available here and then try and find a controller.

My big question is -does anyone know if Lionel trains use DC motors in the AC trains. It would seem much easier to simply remove the circuit board in the loco and then use a European G scale supply (LGB or similar), and bypass the wiring from the pick-ups straight to the motor?

Apparently if the trains are run on 50hz 16volts AC they will eventually burn out the control board anyway. It means losing the whistle/horn but at least it may work.

Thanks for any help!

 Kenny